A Knight's Flame
by Kaoticism
Summary: AxS! Fluff! Deep within the corridors of the Airglyphian Castle, finally spoken are the truths of love, once denied. Happy Hallmark Created Holiday!


Disclaimer: I don't know SOTET, it belongs to Square/Tri-Ace

A/N: This is clearly AlbelxSophia so if you don't like, I'm not exactly sure why you're reading this. I'm not sure if either Albel or Sophia is OC but one might be, because I wrote this awhile ago. **This has no relation to my other SOTET fanfic**, this is probably just going to stay a one-shot though. If you notice though, there are familiar pieces of fluff in comparision to my othere SOTET fanfic, I wrote this first mind you and I was going to add it but didn't. I was planning to put this up for Valentines Day after I fixed it up but I didn't have time Tuesday so it's a little late.

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He was wandering the halls of the Airyglyph castle as he passed a young girl who was gazing deeply out the window at the constant stream of snowfall there seemed to be outside. By then it was passed the midnight hour, though he could not understand why she remained in the sole spot and alone nonetheless. She stood there in a pale white nightgown that was glowing softly of the white moonlight reflecting from the pitch-black night sky. He, himself, wore his normal dark indigo attire, except his armor that need not cause more racket into the deep of the night than it had to. And weaponless was he, apart from the claw he had on hand, naturally. 

As she kept her sights outside the window, he could not help but watch her whether it be in amusement, in awe, in curiosity, or even other thoughts that remained only to him. He wondered how long he had been standing there, just before she had spoke aloud with a soft tremble in her voice, unsure, "Is someone there? Fayt?"

He recognized the soft hopefulness when she mentioned the hero's name. He gave a sound of 'Bah' for she tried to compare to him to Fayt. Though soft breathing might have been undecipherable, the sound of his indignity was then made obvious of his character.

She whispered his name just before turning about to look at him fully, "What are you doing awake?"

His hair was tousled more when he shook his head, "Why does it matter to you, maggot? That worm of whom you thought I was, is still asleep."

Through his rude comment, she had not faltered or looked appalled at all. She had even smiled at him. He couldn't believe her, still giving her that facial appearance one was to call an expression of optimism. He just called her a derogative term and all she could do was look at him in that specific manner. It was so sweet and gracious that it almost burned as he watched and stood in that spot. He would turn away but stopped only when she spoke as a soft retort to his words…

"I was only wondering…"

Those words were enough to seer his skin, they were kind, soft, and sweet. He really could no longer bear to stand there but somehow he had managed. He had even taken the time to watch her face and gaze into the depths of her sage eyes. But that would sooner rather than later become his downfall when he felt an immediate change, stirring within himself. He had felt it before when she was around with the others but now that no one was there, he felt no control.

She had not realized but turned her back to him, returning to her gaze out the window of which she had been in rapture just previously. Though, this would save her for the moment, and only this moment while she did not give him her full attention any longer, even though she was quite aware of his presence behind her. She did not feel him a threat like the others.

He saw the purity in this moment. There she stood with her light brown hair and nightgown occasionally rippling due to a strong wind from the outside that made it through the stone of the castle. Her body was lit, echoing pale light of the moon that seeped through the window with the fires of the castle shown warmly upon her back. She gave a sigh of contentment and he could only hold his breath now. The sight of her form as she leaned against the sill of the window. He was strong and won every battle, but he was strong and would lose to himself and the emotions that were certainly more skillful within, at least against him.

To an outsider this would have been sudden and to her as well but he knew he felt this desire growing and the desperate need for the pure taste of sweetness.

In a rush of footsteps he came from behind her quickly and she turned, but his speed blinded her and she could only see for the split second, his crimson eyes upon her filled with something more then just lust in them. In worry she leaned back, her hand clenched and over her heart, the force that was beating so fiercely. A thought claimed urgency in her mind of what was happening. She rose as he had slowed down to lean over her short stature compared to his own, trying to slide away on her first instinct.

He took two steps with every one of hers. Her free hand started to shake while her elbow stayed stiff at her side. She was not quite sure of herself, she had started to move away but why, why did she not run? What could have stopped her and if she had truly wanted this, why was she moving away? Her mind felt no need to answer her so she finally turned to her heart; perhaps it had something to say for itself. She stood there frozen to the spot with the exception of her trembling and her heart nearly beating out of her chest, ringing, echoing in her mind.

There were several thoughts going through his mind, though but his first actions were caused solely by his raw instinctive desire but not like the desire of he was accustom to nor did it act upon his own accord, there was something deep urging this on.

With his previous woman, Nel, he thought of how mysterious she was and how he could easily make her melt in his arms. He mentally laughed and remembered the physical properties of Nel when they were together, when he had full access to them at his leisure. There had been much passion, heat, but no one would call it the weak name 'love.' She had piercing violet eyes that were cold but there was a unique quality about her. There love was forbidden yet it gave them so much pleasure to sneak about during the Airyglyph and Aquois's war. Now that it was over, there was no danger and no spark left between the two. Once, she did try to convince him they meant for each other but he immediately lost interest.

Now though it was those concerned bright green eyes of the girl before him that he felt a deep yearning for, but also there was something more, perhaps in the pit of his stomach if he were to say most gutturally. He had trusted it often and it was usually right follow so why not trust it, let it guide him like it always had.

Around her, on the occasion, he saw the pain in her eyes that the piece of scum, Fayt and the worm known as Maria, caused her. And at those times, he just wanted to hurt what caused her so much pain and he hated how he could see that she cared so much for a certain blue-haired hero that gave her less and less attention. The man, no the boy, just rejected her for another right in front of the girl. And it was then, he would have liked to take her right there and then, consume her in chaotic bliss so that she may feel even the bit of acceptance and how much _he_ cared about her.

In his mind all he wanted was a taste to escape from all he had known to be bitter and tainted, even if it was himself. He wanted her more then anything, just to caress her silken skin and to know how those lips tasted. He wanted the reassurance of paradise that he knew she would have on him. He wanted pure innocence, he wanted one who had not lost her maidenhead, he wanted one would could be his light, he wanted one that would shine forgiveness and perfection on him, to give healing on his sins. He was sure; she was the one that could do all those things.

She knew this was what she hoped for but not what she expected, especially not from this person in the least. She knew whom she hoped for, but deep inside, it was not like she had thought about this man in front of her. Perhaps, pleasantly surprised if one was to look at in the right light.

She cried out for a name in her prince and the one she had always believed she would love. When she thought of him, warm happy memories flooded back to her. He had the valiant, heroic eyes that she thought might save her one of these days in a courageous fairy tale act so that they would end up happily ever after. She thought that they would have always been together forever and on. Since their birth they had been inseparable but now… everything was different and she was giving to the fact that they may not have been meant for each other. Even though she knew she cared for him, worried about him, hoped for more…but then would her true knight betray her like her hero did? Ever since the brief separation and comrade, called Maria forcefully pushed her way into the picture, she knew she had lost what little hold she had on him left.

Then later she would see a small flicker of what could be something more, deeper, buried inside the ruby eyes of the man before her now and that was cause to make her think. She thought of this new figure that was always by him, that killed those innocent, that never seemed to never show happiness on his lips apart from when he won. In the beginning, she did nothing, only watching him out of the corner of her eyes until she knew more about him. This was failure and she used her reasoning to deduct that he pushed others away from him. And she soon devoted herself to trying to help him, make at least one person happy. The more and more she thought about it, the more and more she realized she could not stop thinking about those dark red eyes, hiding secrets that he would never speak aloud. Her care and worried for him grew into a sort of affection for him and she believed it to be mere infatuation to begin with. She was surprised at herself for having feelings for a man like this would be 'bad boy' but there was something different about him even if only she saw it…

He moved closer to her with every few seconds that passed. She kept stepping back, farther away from him until she could go no further, being backed against a wall now. Her eyes uneasily shifted from side to side; maybe a way out existed but she just was not desperate enough to see it. She didn't want to run away but she felt that everything was coming to quickly and she could not make it slow down but to get away as fast as she could. The new feeling that bloomed inside of her kept her rooted to the spot but the little that still hung onto to her hero had made her tremble with the loosing battle within her mind.

He used his clawed arm and pinned her against the wall with a smirk behind his gaze as he looked down upon her as she writhed beneath his grasp.

She wanted to search his eyes to try to find a reasonable answer behind this, but she could not look up at him and even if she could, she had come to the realization that nothing was reasonable anymore.

He felt this was his chance and it was ripe, and he took it like a bird of prey, swooping down to seize what he would now claim was his. He used his literal hand to lift her chin up to face him and his lips hungrily pressed against hers. Something deep within his mind found a feeling he could not describe as his nerves went wild with excitement from the soft touch of her lips that sent shocks of electricity pulsing through his body. He found a need for more as his mouth parted and his tongue outlined her lips expecting a prompt entrance.

This was definitely more then she bargained for. She was never kissed in such a rough manner before, but she had not been kissed at all so what was she comparing to? Maybe it was soft and she just did not know it. Her mind was losing control of her body actions that were writhing to make her open her mouth as he was asking so gently with his gently moist tongue but a small part of herself kept her from doing so.

He paused for a moment, still supporting her chin with his hand, staying relatively close without physically touching apart from that. His vermilion gaze pierced into her pale green eyes and to her own surprise she gave out a soft unexplained whimper since he had stopped his barraged with his lips.

And she noticed, she was unpinned and slightly tilted her head in a wondering of why they had still stayed so close for his hot breath was still upon her neck. And she came to the realization that her hands had not only stopped shaking but were laced about his neck, keeping him quite close to her. She would look back to this moment and claim, she had no know but it was perhaps her subconscious acting on its own accord for once since she did nothing at all in this situation.

His clawed hand moved to the collar of her white nightgown, toying with it and picking at it. He gently pulled it down and he started to kiss the soft skin about her collarbone. He was amazed that it was better than he imagined for it was not only soft but also quite silken and sheer, caressing his own skin. His heartbeat, surprised at himself, 'rousing him a bit even if she wasn't aware that she was doing this to him without actually being any forward to press at him.

She took a deep breath when she felt how gentle his kisses had become as they trailed from her neck to her chin. She held back a breath, gasping when she had whimpered out of pleasure this time. She had come so close to moaning softly but she had bit her tongue as to silence herself. And she soon felt her feet only skimming the ground, behind held up by his clawed hand. Though in an inappropriate place of her ass, she did not comment, nor did she mind so much, not even when he rubbed it gently.

The barrier inside that prevented her to open her mouth to him was suddenly realized. It was the though of the hero she still silently hoped would see her and now it had hit her hard. She had to face the fact that he had forgotten about her and that he was not going to return to her as much as she hoped.

While she was distant in her mind, faced with the realization, he was watching her every movement. He knew that she was thinking and he would not impeded this thinking for now, at least while she stayed on the edge before he could take her. He saw a flicker of brightness in her eyes grow large and clear, the pools unhazed, looking free and more beautiful than she had before. He noticed and she was more than perfect for the timing so that he could make her his and his alone.

She felt a tinge of sadness but relieved in a happy sort of way, but now that she was free, she wasn't sure what she was doing anymore. Her mind had checked out, logic was not working but her heart soon took the job that it was supposed to be doing back. There was nothing left but the guiding lines of her heart and the human desire.

He bent his head once more and she did not flinch at all, she watched him with care in her eyes, accepting this whole-heartedly. He found this nearly amusing for she did not fight him any longer and had a new resolve renewed within her. And though he wanted to laugh, perhaps ask her what she had been thinking, he had already started soothing her body with his mouth and her soft whimpers pushed him on, not allowing him to stop for he no long wanted to as long as this made her happy. For the longest time, he wanted to show her this and now that he had all her attention, he was not going to give it up with a fight. He plunged his lips down; slipping his tongue with in her now parted lips, exploring its depths. There was no corner or moist crevice that would go unchecked, unexplored, or attention less.

She had little idea of what was supposed to go about this kind of kiss. Of course, she was girl and had known about this, knew what was supposed to happen but she couldn't. She felt unsure and just because she knew about it, she only read it and that does not give someone very much experience nor credit until one has done it. At first, she thought she was supposed to fight it and she tried to force his tongue back into his mouth. She failed, one she had no power nor could dare stop him from doing what he was. Second, she was very timid as she rubbed her tongue on to his, fearing she may have been too bold but started to come out of her shell after this and as soon as she felt more comfortable, she sensually caress over his tongue with her own like she had done it just yesterday when no such thing had really happened.

At the start he could tell that she was very inexperienced with this kind if intimacy but in a brief moment he was rather impressed at how quickly she adapted. Not even kissing like this told him that if they were to ever become closer, he would have to go slow, teach her everything there was to need to know about 'playing.' An odd feeling came over him as he relaxed into the tentative circular pressure of her tongue against his own.

Her arms were still linked around his neck and the hand that had once been supporting her chin now placed itself in a position to guide beneath her nightgown. He could not help but let his fingers wander across her abdomen, feeling her soft warm skin beneath her fingertips. Soon their wandering came to a halt as they felt a tenderer spot, which would be her breasts. And at the slight graze his hand had made, only blowing a bit of cold air, he could feel her breath quickening as his previously cold hand was running along her middle and about her gently feeling her shapely bosom.

She gasped, stopping all her moving altogether, freezing up. She had never been touched like this and the unknown was creating a barrier that blocked if she liked this or not. And soon, she thawed out for the gentleness of his hands sent a jolt through her, slowly convincing her with every wading moment that it would be all right, that it was okay to like this. She kept one of her hands around his neck; the other was soon playing with his curiously colored hair. She felt her back starting to slide down the wall and his clawed hand laid her down on her back. Her shoulders twinged against the damp stone ground that was seeping into her nightgown. She could feel his armored hand tracing over the curves of her body, not piercing or cutting but pressuring small points in her body that made her want to scream, writhing further now below him completely.

His smug look was great and confident as he stared at her. He had freed her lips from him and he watched her squirm under him as he crouched over her. Their eyes met for a moment and there was a very thin line of emotion, holding them at bay. The connection was strong, but oh so frail. Their gaze was long and with every passing moment they drawn closer together like the longer they were apart, the faster they would have to be to come together again.

Their breaths had mingled momentarily together and their lips met for a last time until they heard footsteps echoing down the corridor. It sounded much like a march, more than a few men were patrolling the castle at this time. It was a peculiar time for so many to be going about the halls but ever so dangerous if the two were caught. He stood quickly, pulling her to her feet, and pinning her to the wall with his gaze looking into the arched open doorway, watching for the unknown figures. The voices were quiet, obviously low soldiers going about their nightly duties, of guarding the castle.

Once they had passed, she came to her senses, her mind taken off alert.

Though she questioned and whispered to him, "Albel…?"

He nodded to signify that they were gone. Though he did not respond immediately, he turned her and the moment was broken but still this position so close to her, his mind alert and his heart unusually rowdy, he became determined to speak what he had to.

And when it came out, his voice was not weak but a deep whisper, cracking upon the first time speaking it through, "I… love… you…- Woman, I love you."

There was brief pause where she was only surprised, which made him continue to speak. He started slowly, "Sophia…Do you love me?"

She was too stunned for true words only murmuring, "Um…" She could not answered; she was taken aback and just staring at him.

He turned away from her, not daring enough to look into those sweet eyes of hers, "You don't love me, how you could you love me?" How could he have even thought, he had said too much, it was just the moment, but when she had returned his affection. She had showed him false and he made himself vulnerable for a moment and he was rejected.

She put a hand on his shoulder, "It's not that…I…"

She didn't know what she was doing; very confused in fact, she was stunned that he so suddenly said this. She really didn't know what to say but it dawned on her, why didn't she stop him? Why hadn't she pushed him away? She hadn't. She invited him too and even wanted him to.

He started to stalk away from her but her words were soft, almost in a whisper, "I do love you…you are my knight…"

He stopped, turning around to look at her. He stared at her, straight in her eyes, searching for pity, sympathy, lies, and fault. But it was just the same as before; they were perfect and not lie in them, honest.

At that moment, Albel took Sophia in his arms, sweeping her off her feet, doing more than loving her; he would save her from the pain caused by her wood be 'hero.'

At that moment, Sophia beamed on Albel, becoming his light that would bring him through his darkness, washing him of sin; she would be the candle that lit his night.

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A/N: Remember, no relation to my other SOTET story, but very close. It could be part of it but not really... This is what I was talking about before when I had a short thing for AxS pure fluff. I decided I wasn't going to use for anything so I posted it up as a one-shot. It's really old and I recently made it longer by editing it majorly, I hope I did well. I wish all those other AxS readers appreciated this. I have a forum and junk, please go visit there but two people commented and it made me feel kind of bad and I'm really sorry. ): Also, notice that I didn't actually mention their names until the end. I thought that would make a nice effect since there's nobody else in the scene really. 

I'm also posting this so you people know I'm still alive and I know I have something going but I'm not sure where to go from there so wait a bit. I may add to this when I'm bored so moo.

Thanks for reading and please review.


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